Image courtesy of Thayer Allyson Gowdy/Getty Images
It’s Friday again and you know what that means....Friday Haikus; or as some have become comfortable, Fridakus! The cohort and I continue in the tomato fest at least just one more time. We’ve had fun with it. Every morning, I water our huge tomato plant standing 6 feet just off the steps of my back deck. I try to only water it at the base leaving the leaves as dry as possible. The leaves are trimmed often so the sun can get to each tomato and hopefully cut down on the possibility of tomato worms. So far, so good. I actually hated tomatoes since I was a kid. Something about eating them always caused a gag reflex until as of late. Sure, I could stomach them on a sandwich or sparaticly in a salad. I had grown up watching them being eaten like apples, just adding salt and biting with running red juices chasing gravity everywhere. With age, I have become wiser. The benefits outweigh my grammar-school dislike. But enough about all that...Les Fridaku de la Tomato Eroutique!
Image courtesy of lovingchaos.com
Smack the red, tight skin,
blushing and plump
with anticipation of more.
Ruby smooth bulges
basking in July sun,
tanning a deeper red.
Firm and round,
wrapped in a delicious aroma,
defying green worm’s neglect.
Stout and green, swing tomatoes,
dangling their allure
for frying later.
Thick sweet odor,
crawl through my nostils,
parting my lips for my first bite.
This is a typical story. I left the office at lunch and was in my car before realizing that I needed to take a leak. So where can I go thats quick, convenient and has a clean bathroom. In my case, I went to Arbys. By now, they know me — way too many visits per week. So I park and take the stroll toward the front door. Clearly a busy spot, the warm sun gleaming on my smooth soft brown with a smiley face on my chest and a baseball cap on my dome; all laced with a smile. I yack with the manager about what I wanted and swaggered to the louve. "WHAT!!!???" I walked in and it was Niagara Falls. The urinal was running full blast and running down the wall and floors. Surely someone had been here before me and why wouldnt they have said anything. I guess I better hold it a while longer. I back out with wet soles and inform the manager of my discovery. She asks if I giggled the handle; of course, in case I didnt need to say anything. So with sandwich in hand I am back outside headed for my vehicle thinking about Murphy's Law and how its always funny if you let later be now. I knew if I looked back on this later and thought about all the times Arbys had been guaranteed except this one time I really needed it ..... ha ha ha ha on me.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers; we wouldn't be here without 'em. My wife had a nice Mother's Day. She enjoyed a 
1 11-ounce jar pickled jalapeno peppers, drained 
Well its been an extremely long and slow week full of diverse attentions. But at last it's Friday and I am forging through. The other side of the hill is in sight and I can see the path before me just before gravity makes my full commitment. A man's home is his castle. Hopefully your castle is safe, peaceful and full of joy. It is my refuge from everything outside my heart. I like that. It may rain, sleet or even snow; I don't care; I will be home. Well I will 
have to go out occassionally; but I prefer to go out when it might be just a bit dangerous/adventurous. My nephews will celebrate birthdays this weekend. It will be nice to see their cheer and zest. Kids have a way of enjoying life that most of us adults have long forgotten. I never want to forget the energy and thrill from just doing something for the fun of it and having an outlook that more fun is around the corner. May my best days always be ahead. I have a giant Superman coloring book for just such a break from adulthood. There's nothing like a 64 Crayola Crayon box with the sharpener in back and a full coloring book sprawled out on the floor as you color into a mental release. It helps if you hang your tongue out just a bit. Sometimes I even get family and friends to join me. It reminds me of things I really like: jumping in mud/water puddles, blowing bubbles, making airplanes, doodling, making paper boats, walking in the tall grass and jumping into a huge pile of leaves. That's the magic of innocent imaginations. I never needed video games or thought about blowing up things....guess I was kinda boring. I am convinced that the world would have more happy adults if we stay kids.
